Created by the public interest law firm Meyer Glitzenstein & Crystal in Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Efforts to Protect Bald Eagles at the Norfolk City Botanical Gardens

On behalf of the grassroots group Eagle On Alliance the firm
today sent a letter to the City Manager for Norfolk Virginia, detailing multiple
violations of a permit issued under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
with respect to eagles that have been making their nest at the Norfolk
Botanical Garden for over a decade. In October 2012, the City was given a
permit by the Fish and Wildlife Service to remove 3 eagles nests at the Garden,
claiming that these eagles pose a risk of an airplane collision at the nearby
International Norfolk Airport. Since then, the City, with the help of the
United States Department of Agriculture (and federal taxpayer money) has
removed at least 6 nests, as the eagle pair – determined to engage in successful
nesting this Spring – continue to rebuild their nest each time it is torn down
by the City. Although there are other ways for the Airport to protect
the public from any risk of an eagle-plane collision at the Airport, Eagle On
Alliance has also suggested taking measures to help these eagles relocate their
nest further away from the Airport. However, to date, the City has
rejected these proposals and insists on continuing to destroy the nest each
time the eagles reconstruct it. Because, as the FWS itself acknowledges,
“bald eagles exhibit high nest fidelity,” the City apparently intends to
continue to tear down these nests indefinitely, rather than pursue more
reasonable alternatives. A copy of the letter sent by the firm can be
found here; a recent photograph of one of the eagles building its nest can be
found here.